Student says BOE officer assaulted her in case of mistaken identity

Glenn Hills High School senior Lakyera Thurmond has a beef with a school police officer about being handcuffed.

News 12 is looking into what happened, and whether it was a case of mistaken identity.

A two-inch hole remains in the wall of the assistant principal's office after Lakyera says she was thrown against it on Friday by a Board of Education officer.

She says it happened when the officer put her in handcuffs and she complained to him that they were on too tight.

"I was standing face to face to him, and he put his arm against my neck and threw me against the wall and I couldn't breathe," she said.

She says she was sitting in the office that day to report another student she says had been harassing her for months.

She says the assistant principal called the officer.

"He said, 'When I called the officer down, I told him I did not call him for Lakyera. She was sitting in the seat talking to me, reporting a student who kicked her'," Lakyera's mother, Crystal Reese, told News 12.

Reese tells us the officer was called for another student--a boy.

"He called the officer for another student outside the door who was cursing and going off, but when officer came in, he came straight to her."

According to the incident report, the assistant principal told the officer to stop and let her go.

The officer then took Lakyera out of handcuffs and released her.

But she still received two citations for disorderly conduct and interfering with an officer.

The report also notes Lakyera had a laceration on her wrists and bruises on her right arm...injuries her mother says were created by unnecessary force.

"I could see if you had to break up a fight, but she was standing there doing what you asked her to do. That was uncalled for," Reese said. "I'd like some justice to be done."

School board member Joe Scott tells News 12 that he will recommend that the officer be removed from the school.

Repeated calls to interim superintendent Dr. James Thompson have not been returned.

The BOE police and the school also won't talk because the investigation is continuing.

Online Public Information File

Viewers with disabilities can get assistance accessing this station's FCC Public Inspection File by contacting the station with the information listed below. Questions or concerns relating to the accessibility of the FCC's online public file system should be directed to the FCC at 888-225-5322, 888-835-5322 (TTY), or fccinfo@fcc.gov.